We all root for the hero but we all want to be the villain. While every great story has a bad guy, some are more interesting than others and not all bad guys are guys. Horror novel villains scare us, and at the same time, we want to live vicariously through them, doing evil deeds without fear of consequence. You will certainly disagree with my Top Three choices but you can’t deny the power of the horror novel villain. Carpe villanus!

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As they say, live death to the fullest. Some of the creatures who return from the grave are way cooler than others. Saints and angels might be the guardians of Heaven, but we’ve become fascinated with the undead from the wrong side of the tracks. Whether you believe they’re commanded by the devil or are simply souls doomed to wander the Earth for eternity, these creatures are the coolest undead.

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While sparkly, handsome vampires are a relatively new thing, Hollywood has been raising the undead for a long time. There’s more to playing a vampire than a black cape and Romanian accent. Well, not really. I mean, that’s really all it takes to get the part. But the power of the performance rests squarely on the shoulders of the talent, and some of the silver screen’s best vampires have starred in the most influential horror films.

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